Good Old Days
by Florida Mayers
Summary: Hailey McKinnon couldn't believe what was happening. One minute everything was normal; next, everything was falling apart. How could the world everyone knew fall apart so fast? It didn't make any sense. The world had gone to shit so fast, it was unbelievable. But Hailey learned to adapt, she learned how to make the most of it. It's all about survival now, anyway.
1. Chapter 1

_I wish somebody would have told me babe_  
 _Some day, these will be the good old days_  
 _All the love you won't forget_  
 _And all these reckless nights you won't regret_  
 _Someday soon, your whole life's gonna change_  
 _You'll miss the magic of these good old days_

-Good Old Days; **by Macklemore [feat. Kesha]**

* * *

"It finally stopped raining." Hailey peered out a nearby window, pulling the blinds back as discreetly as possible. She'd been holed up in the same house for the past couple days, trying to wait out the torrential downpour. It seemed pretty rare, for such a drastic weather change in Georgia. But that's how it's been. There really wasn't much for Hailey to do _but_ wait it out.

"Really?" Alessandra looked over her friend's shoulder, trying to get a look. Considering how short Hailey's friend is, it wasn't much of a surprise that she couldn't see over her shoulder. "When'd it stop?"

Standing back, Hailey simply shrugged.

"Thank God for that," Alessandra sighed. "I was getting tired of all that rain."

"You think the soldiers will _finally_ give us some supplies?" Hailey asked. "They've kept themselves locked up in their houses since the storm started."

"I wouldn't expect much from them. They haven't been giving enough supplies to _any_ one."

It was true. Ever since communications got severed, the soldiers haven't been giving the people very many supplies. It's been taking its toll on everyone. While the soldiers got fatter and happier on the limited portions, the rest of the safe-zone got sick and malnourished. People had to beg just to get standard medication, they had to do a lot more just to get a few cans of food. Hailey wanted to keep up hope, though. She wanted to believe the soldiers could change, even after everyone else gave up.

"You think they'll give Josie her medicine this time?" Hailey asked.

"Maybe, if they're in a good mood."

"It's been a few days, she needs her insulin."

Alessandra shrugged.

"We'll have to figure something out." Hailey started picking under her nails. "Josie will keep getting worse unless. . ."

"Can you just _stop_?!" Alessandra snapped. "Why are you so optimistic? Have you seen what's going on! We're _miles_ from our homes! Some of us have been separated from our families! No one has a _fucking_ clue on what's happening and you're so. . . _hopeful_!"

There was a long moment of silence. Hailey looked at Alessandra for a long moment, unblinking and completely distraught. From the day the healthy were rounded up for the safe-zones, the two women had an instant connection. They became friends immediately, bonding over their old lives and telling stories from before. Hailey felt as though she had known Alessandra forever. Maybe that wasn't entirely the case. The day communications got severed was the day everyone started to change. The soldiers began abusing their power; the survivors became paranoid, unsure on who to trust or what to do. And Alessandra did have a point, knowing a lot of the people in the safe-zones were far from home and possibly separated from their families was something to think about. But Hailey just wanted to stay as positive as possible. She didn't want to be consumed by her grief or anger. Was that such a bad thing to do?

"Is that really how you feel?" Hailey asked. Her voice had gone soft, just above a whisper. Furrowing her brows, the young woman felt a wave of self-consciousness wash over her. Hailey knew she'd been pretty hopeful since being herded into the safe-zone, but she couldn't help it. Whenever she was presented with a stressful situation, her first instinct would be to think and act positively. It was a natural reaction.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Alessandra nodded. "I didn't want to tell you before," she grumbled, "because I didn't want to cause any problems. But you've been like this for so long, it's become annoying. I can't deal with this."

"And you think _I_ can?" Anger laced its way into Hailey's words. She rarely ever got angry at anyone; she always found it to be inappropriate to express anger in any kind of social setting. Irritation or frustration, maybe, but never anger. "I've been trying to stay hopeful because I'm just as terrified as everyone else. I don't like this, I don't want to be here! I'd rather be at home with my _family_ ; not stuck in some guarded off community in Georgia."

Another wave of silence fell between the two women. Hailey and Alessandra looked at each other for a moment, both stone faced and tense. It had been a while since either ever had a moment to really express themselves. While it felt nice, it left both women feeling a bit guilty. Alessandra never took the time to really read Hailey's emotions. Hailey never took the time to think if her optimism was coming off as obnoxious.

Well, maybe it was good they both confronted each other on the issue. Perhaps it wasn't the best _method_ of confrontation, but it was better than nothing.

Besides, addressing the issue is the first step to changing it.

 **- _ohana_ means family-**

It wasn't until later in the day when Hailey chose to go outside. Even though the rain had stopped hours before, she was still in a relatively bad mood from her confrontation with Alessandra. Any excitement that came from the change in weather disappeared quickly when the two women separated. Hailey hadn't the slightest clue where her friend went, and she was fine with that. When the decision to go outside finally became official, the young woman put on a jacket — for precautionary reasons — threw on her tennis shoes and went out.

The air had that nice "wet earth" smell, one Hailey found to be comforting. The only downside was the humidity that lingered, causing everything to feel heavier and muggier. There were a lot of puddles in some divots in the ground, any soil was soaked from the inside out.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Hailey took her time taking in her surroundings. While it honestly didn't look any different compared to before the rain hit, she still wanted to check. Was anything out of place? Were there people in the community who weren't supposed to be there? What could be seen as noticeably different? Well, for starters, there were fewer people outside of their houses than normal. Usually people would come out to interact, even a big change in the weather wouldn't stop that. Second off, there was an uneasy feeling Hailey felt in the pit of her stomach. It was like someone dropped a weight inside of her, and the longer she stayed out, the heavier the feeling got.

Hoping to shake the feeling off, Hailey started walking down the sidewalk. Her safe-zone had been set up around an abandoned neighborhood, with chain linked fences and barbed wire put up to keep people in and keep the outside out. The fences and barbed wire looked a little bent out of shape, maybe caused from the wind. It had been during the rainfall's second day — high winds were added to the mix. A couple branches littered the street and sidewalks, a couple weak shrubs had been bothered by the winds, too. Were those the reasons why Hailey felt so uneasy? That didn't seem like a valid enough reason.

Continuing her trek through the community, the young woman would glance at houses. There'd be the occasional silhouette of people inside, but a lot of the houses had been barricaded. If a tragedy happened in a house, it go into lockdown, becoming inaccessible to the other survivors. Those were the rules. Hailey tried to abide by those rules as often as possible. At the same time, however, Alessandra's words kept ringing in her head. The soldiers weren't doing their responsibilities. They were abusing the people in their care, and it was starting to effect the community.

 _Would it be better to just leave?_ Hailey thought. Letting out a shaky breath, she swallowed thickly. The thought of leaving the safe-zone was petrifying. She remembered what it was like out there — unpredictable, violent, and unsettling. The chances of running into another living person was relatively high. The thought of running into the infected were high, too. Living outside survivors were more terrifying than the infected.

"Hailey!"

Stopping from her stroll, Hailey turned and saw an older woman approaching her.

"Mandi, what's up?" Hailey called back.

Mandi Powell was a nice, middle-aged woman. From what had been told, she'd come down to Georgia with her niece and nephews to visit her in-laws. But it was around that time that the safe-zones were put into place, so Mandi never got to her destination. When she got close enough to where Hailey was standing, she let out a huff of air.

"Did you hear what happened?" Mandi asked.

"Uhm. . .no," Hailey responded; uncertainty laced her voice. "What happened?"

"Jocelyn died last night." Mandi's voice started trembling, her hands wringing in front of her. Jocelyn was a young girl, barely over ten years old. She'd gotten sick a few days earlier, and the soldiers were trying to extract her from her parents' house. The virus Jocelyn contracted was the one that started the whole mess to begin with, and after everything collapsed, the virus seemed to have faded away, too. Doctors and scientists couldn't do any tests, considering all power had been cut, so there was absolutely no information on where the virus came from or how long it can stay in a person's body before showing symptoms.

"Are you serious?" Hailey's eyes widened.

Mandi nodded. "Her brother told me this morning," she sighed. "I guess Jocelyn went to bed and didn't wake up."*

"That's horrible." Running a hand through her hair, Hailey felt her shoulders slump. The death toll in her safe-zone had all but stopped a while ago; illnesses had gone down, too, but there were still a few people here and there who'd catch _some_ thing. "How're Jocelyn's parents doing?" Hailey asked.

"Not good. Ethan was a wreck when I saw him. Last I heard, the soldiers are going to be taking the body."

"Are they burying it somewhere?"

"They'll probably _have_ to," Mandi murmured. "Don't want to risk anyone getting an infection."

Hailey pursed her lips. She had talked to Jocelyn on a few occasions; the little girl had been a ray of sunshine, wanting what was best for everyone. Hearing about her death brought a dark cloud of sadness of Hailey. Though she had to admit, she couldn't even _begin_ to comprehend what Jocelyn's family must be going through.

"I can't believe that happened," Hailey mumbled. "I had hope that she'd get better."

"We _all_ did," Mandi agreed. There was a moment of silence between the two women. Hailey was fiddling with the bottom of her jacket; Mandi's eyes were flickering around, as if trying to find something. "You know, a couple of other people and myself were thinking of leaving."

That statement alone cause Hailey's blood to run cold. Her eyes snapped up to Mandi's face, taking in the expression on the older woman's face. She looked serious. Absolutely, 100% serious.

"You can't mean that," she hissed. "We're _safe_ here, right?"

"Sweetie, look around you." Mandi's voice was low, her shoulders hunched as the conversation continued. The two women had to be careful with what they talked about, soldiers could pop up at any moment. Hailey took the initiative to look around, anyway. She saw some abandoned cars; she saw the abandoned, quarantined houses; a few military vehicles — everything she was used to.

"Okay?"

"We are not safe here, Hailey. The soldiers aren't giving us adequate portions; Jocelyn got sick, and now she's dead. We're not allowed to have food, water, or medicine without giving something to _them_ in return. If we leave, we'll be able to take care of ourselves."

Hailey looked up at Mandi anxiously. "Are you asking me to come with you?" she whispered. The only response given was a nod. "But we don't even know what's _out_ there. How're we supposed to defend ourselves if we don't know what to expect?"

"We'll figure something out."

"What about your niece and nephews?"

"They're coming with me."

"Would I be able to ask Alessandra. . .?" Hailey began.

" _No_ ," Mandi exclaimed. Taking a moment to calm herself, she looked at Hailey dead in the eye and repeated, calmly, "No. Alessandra's too. . .unpredictable. We can't have someone like that with us."

"But she's my friend."

"We all have to make sacrifices." Hailey's brows furrowed at that statement. "Wren's leaving her parents behind; they don't see a life outside the zone. Xavier has to leave his boyfriend. Do you get what I'm saying, dear? We've all got to make big choices. They're never easy, but it's for our own good."

Feeling her heart hammering in her chest, Hailey began nibbling on her fingernails. It was a nasty habit, something that plagued her since her preteens.

 _Leave_ _the zone?_ Hailey thought. _We'll be out there, alone, not knowing what to do. No one knows what's out there. Yeah, there're probably more living people out there; but God only knows how they're like._

Spitting out a ripped off fingernail, she ran both her hands through her hair again. She couldn't make up her mind. Alessandra was her friend, and even though their little dispute earlier hurt, Hailey believed it didn't damage their relationship. Should she leave Alessandra behind, or tell Mandi no? That was a big question. That was a _terrifying_ question.

 **- _I wumbo, you wumbo, he/she/me wumbo_ -**

"Did you enjoy your walk?" Alessandra's question came out somewhat sarcastically. It was obvious she was still a bit pissed off from earlier, but Hailey wouldn't let that get to her. If that kind of attitude was Alessandra's true nature, then there was no changing that. Because in the end, Hailey wouldn't be around to endure it for very much longer.

"I did, actually," she responded. "It's a little humid outside, though."

Alessandra only snorted in response.

"Jocelyn died last night," Hailey went on. "Mandi told me."

"That's unfortunate."

"It really is. I feel sorry for Jocelyn's family."

"I'm sure they'll be fine, Hailey," Alessandra spat.

"What is _wrong_ with you right now?" Hailey snapped. "I told you a little _girl_ died and you don't even care?"

"Of _course_ I care," Alessandra remarked. "Jocelyn was an absolute sweetheart, I'm just in a bad mood is all."

 _Wow, like I couldn't figure that out._

When Hailey didn't respond, Alessandra looked at her oddly. Typically, there were always some little disputes when it came to certain topics. Jocelyn's death was a very big thing at the moment, and Alessandra's declaration of a "bad mood" didn't seem to bother Hailey in the slightest.

Instead, Alessandra had to watch as her friend walked off into another room. The two had been in the dining area, with Alessandra reading an old book.

"Hey, what the hell is up with you?"

Again, Hailey didn't respond.

"Are you listening to me?" Alessandra called. "What's up with you? You're acting all distant!"

 _Oh don't worry,_ Hailey thought, unzipping her backpack, _I'll make sure there's plenty of distance between us._

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **A corny first chapter, but it seemed really good in my head. So, if you've got any constructive criticism, I'd very much appreciate it. It'll help me develop as a writer, and it'll help the story grow later down the road.**

 **TWD doesn't belong to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the laptop I'm currently typing on. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, be sure to PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible.**

 **So, I saw the trailer for TWD season 9. In all honesty, I was very unimpressed with it. I've been with the show since season 1, and I really did enjoy it up until after Glenn and Abraham died. I did not like season 8 in the slightest. In my opinion, it felt as though Negan's character was wasted; the entirety of 8 was sloppy and anti-climactic. I'm not sure how well the Whisperers are gonna turn out, but I'm keeping my expectations low for season 9. And on top of that, Andrew Lincoln's leaving after this. With Carl dead and Rick leaving, I'm not sure how invested I'll be in the show.**

 **Anyway, I digress.**

 **Be sure to leave a random fact, it could be on something new or on something old. I like to think I'm a curious person.**

 **Blessed be,**

 **Florida Mayers**


	2. Chapter 2

_Pressure pushing down on me_  
 _Pressing down on you no man ask for_  
 _Under pressure that brings a building down_  
 _Splits a family in two_  
 _Puts people on streets_

-Under Pressure; **by Queen [feat. David Bowie]**

* * *

The idea of leaving with Mandi and the others had been a difficult decision. Hailey wanted to believe she was safe inside the gates, but there were so many things that were going wrong that maybe leaving was for the best. Alessandra had made good points earlier; the soldiers aren't giving enough supplies to the survivors. After hearing about Jocelyn's death, and with everything going so downhill, Hailey started to really think over everything that was going on. The only time the soldiers interacted with the survivors was when a deal was being made. Tensions were rising and paranoia was spiraling out of control. Hailey saw people whispering, looking around as if they were scared of being caught. What used to be a supportive community was rendered into a paranoid wasteland.

 _Alessandra didn't like how "optimistic" I was being,_ Hailey thought, as she started packing her things, _maybe being outside the gates will give me the push I need to change._ *

It was a nice thought, and it was definitely one Hailey hoped would happen. If optimism won't keep her alive in such a dark time, then some firsthand experience of the _real_ horrors could give her a push in the right direction. Or it _would_ , if Alessandra would stop freaking out.

For the past five minutes, Alessandra had been yelling and calling out to Hailey, wanting to know what was going on. It was a bit annoying, honestly.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" Alessandra stood at the doorway of Hailey's bedroom, her face red and her eyes wide. "Didn't you hear me callling earlier?"

"I did," Hailey responded.

"Well what're you doing? Why're you packing?"

"Is that _really_ any of your business?" Hailey grumbled.

A look of confusion swept across Alessandra's face. "Of _course_ it's my business," she exclaimed. "We _live_ here together. Did you forget that part?"

"Are you still upset over earlier?"

"I'm just not in a good mood."

"Why don't you calm down first," Hailey said. "I can't talk to you when you're acting like this."

The confusion on Alessandra's face contorted into a scowl. Hearing her friend talk back to her, in a way, made her feel angrier. Yeah, Alessandra was still a bit upset over her earlier meltdown, but she also _was_ in a _bad_ mood. After Hailey went outside for her walk, Alessandra had gone to her room and did a little drinking. There were some half-empty bottles of whiskey left behind in the house, and she chose to put them to good use.

"I can't believe you," Alessandra scoffed. "You're seriously doing this?"

Hailey didn't respond, instead, she kept packing her things. She didn't have time to deal with her friend's issues. Grabbing some more clothes and a few other personal items, Hailey stuffed it all in her bag before zipping it up. Looking around her bedroom, she felt an overwhelming emotion wash over her. She'd stayed in that bedroom ever since the safe-zones were put into place. At the same time, though that very same room belonged to someone else, someone who _left_ , died, or had something else happen to them. Hailey couldn't say for sure, but she knew there were good memories she had in her room, in the house itself.

"What about _me_?" Alessandra exclaimed, grabbing Hailey's forearm. "You're just going to leave me here?!"

"Everyone's got to make sacrifices," Hailey responded, yanking her arm free. "Besides, you've made your point earlier. The soldiers aren't going to help us, not if they can help it. We have to take care of ourselves, and it's not going to happen here."

The look of absolute _shock_ that came across Alessandra's face was almost satisfying. _Almost_. There was a part of Hailey that felt guilty for leaving her friend behind, but Mandi's terms were clear. Alessandra couldn't accompany them, she'd be too much of a liability. And if her earlier meltdown hadn't been enough proof of how she'd be beyond the gates, then Hailey didn't know what else to say.

Hailey's life, the lives of Mandi's people, were top priority.

Slinging her backpack over her shoulders, she walked out of her bedroom and out the front door. The first thing that Hailey noticed were the increased number of people. They were all walking around, talking amongst each other. Some of them were looking around, huddling together as if in some top secret meeting. Others were loosely crowded around, looking anxious and uncomfortable. One thing seemed to stand out, though, and that was the looks people were giving to Jocelyn's house. Soldiers were gathered around the front entrance of the old house, muffled shouts and voices could be heard inside. Hailey paused for a moment, observing the scene in front of her. The soldiers standing outside of Jocelyn's home were holding guns, standing stiffly in front of the main entrance. One soldier was spray-painting the outer walls, putting up various symbols.

Hailey couldn't quite believe what she was seeing. It felt like everything that had gone on was part of some big nightmare. The virus, the collapse, the safe-zones — none of it felt real. Knowing that all of America could fall apart over one _virus_ was mind-boggling.

"Hailey?"

Jumping nearly a foot off the ground, she turned her head to see Mandi and the others approaching. While it was a relief to see them, it had Hailey wondering: how long had she been staring at Jocelyn's place? It didn't feel like very long, but it could've been. But weren't the other survivors talking about what happened? Weren't they all looking at Jocelyn's place; _filled_ with anxiety, uncertainty, and pity?

Shoving the thoughts out of her mind, Hailey forced a small smile on her face as she turned to look at Mandi and the others. "Hey," she called. "How're you guys doing?"

"We're fine," Xavier exclaimed, once he and the others were close enough. "Just a little nervous."

The final statement was said quietly, with a glance thrown Mandi's way. Hailey was quick to notice that, and she was also quick to notice the frown that came across Mandi's face.

"Xavier doesn't think we should leave with all the soldiers around," Josiah, Mandi's nephew, murmured. "I think he's right."

"They'll be focusing more on Jocelyn's family than on us," Mandi mumbled. "Now's our opportunity."

"We could try sneaking out the back way," Hailey offered. "I've seen a small opening in the corner of the gates — it should be big enough for us all to get through."

"You're positive?" Xavier asked.

Hailey nodded. "I'm fairly positive," she responded.

"We'd better get going," Josiah murmured, leaning in a little. "The soldiers are starting to pay attention."

Glancing over, Hailey felt her blood run cold. Some of the soldiers _were_ starting to pay attention. They were looking over at the group, whispering to each other as they did so. It would only be a matter of time before one of them — or _all_ of them — walked over to ask questions. That was the last thing _any_ of them needed.

"We'll go back to my place," Xavier said, "and wait this out. I really don't think it's safe to try this now."

 **...**

Xavier's home was a bit bigger than Hailey's old one. It had a lot more room, maybe a couple more guest rooms, too. But the one thing that stood out the most was the atmosphere. Overall, everything was tense. Xavier's boyfriend, Rio, refused to acknowledge anyone. Everything about their relationship seemed strained, and it was apparent that it came from the split on leaving or staying. So when Hailey and the others were brought back to Xavier's house, Rio had been less than pleased. For him, it was bad enough his boyfriend wanted to leave; but then he decided to come back for a little while longer with his friends. Or maybe they were more of acquaintances.

"Are you guys thirsty?" Xavier asked. The small group had gathered in the kitchen, sitting or standing around. Duffel bags and backpacks were lying around, everyone just being as quiet as they possibly could. "I've got some extra water bottles if any of you want some."

"I'd like one." Mandi's niece, Nina, raised her hand, looking at Xavier shyly. Nina was the youngest in the group, at only nine years old. She rarely spoke to anyone in the zone, hardly even worked up the courage to leave Mandi's house. So seeing her outside of the house, talking to people, was impressive if not a bit heartwarming.

A warm smile came across Xavier's face as he regarded Nina. "Let me get you one," he said kindly. "Anyone else?"

Murmured _no_ _thanks_ rang out throughout the kitchen.

"Did Alessandra find out?" Mandi asked, looking at Hailey.

"She did." Hailey shrugged. "She was a bit drunk, and in a bit of a foul mood. I think me wanting to leave pissed her off even more."

Snorting, Mandi nodded.* "This will be a new beginning for us," she said confidently. "We'll be able to start over out there."

"How?" Hailey asked. "We don't know what we'll find out there."

"We'll find the infected, that's what," Josiah said. "I've gone out there a few times; managed to sneak out. There's a lot of infected roaming around, that's what the soldiers are keeping us away from."

"What do you mean _infected_?" Wren asked.

"Wait. . .you've _left_ the compound?" Mandi exclaimed.

Looking almost embarrassed, Josiah only shrugged at his aunt. "I've seen what it's like out there," he grumbled quietly. "The infected are all rotted and gross. When they saw me, they started coming _after_ me."

Hailey's brows furrowed at Josiah's explanation. _Rotted_ infected people? For some reason, it was hard to imagine. When the virus first started, it only gave flulike symptoms before evolving. The power went out before any further researching could be performed or announced. Once communications fell, that was when everything seemed to be officially over. But word of the infected looking rotted was something Hailey never heard of. She couldn't wrap her brain around it.

"Rotted?" Wren asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked at everyone worriedly. "I don't understand."

Josiah let out a huff. "Their skin was all rotted; they looked _dead_ ," he replied. "None of them knew how to properly talk, either."

"How is any of that possible?" Hailey asked. "How could the infected look like the dead?"

"The power went out before we could learn anything else on the virus," Wren exclaimed. "Maybe resurrection was something that couldn't get out."

"I don't know if I can believe this," Xavier murmured, chewing on his bottom lip. "All of this, it took a while for me to fully grasp it. But living rotted people? I can't find it in me to think it's _true_."

"Well it is," Josiah exclaimed. "I went out there; I _saw_ how it is! The infected are rotting away. We've got to do something."

There was a long pause within the group. No one knew how to properly react. The infected were roaming freely outside the gates; they were _rotting_. How could that be _possible_? Was it even a good idea to leave anymore? If it seemed that dangerous on the outside, maybe it would be a good idea to stay. But at the same time, if they chose to stay, things with the soldiers would only get worse. For the group, there were a lot of conflicting emotions.

"Are we gonna die?" Nina asked.

Everyone's gaze went to her. They were surprised by the question, but they felt their hearts clench at the look on her face. Nina looked absolutely terrified, gripping her cup tightly in her small hands.

"No, we'll be just fine," Mandi said. "Don't you worry."

"But we were supposed to find grammy and grandpa," Nina whimpered, "and we couldn't. We don't know how they're dead or not."

Mandi's face contorted, just slightly, into a look of sadness. Nina loved her grandparents dearly, and having to be rounded up into the safe-zones really frightened her. For Mandi, her and her in-laws had a decent relationship, but it was still heartbreaking not to know what happened to them.

"I'm sure grammy and grandpa are fine," Josiah exclaimed, hoping to comfort his sister. His gaze went to his brother, Zander, for help. Nina, being the youngest, needed a lot more comforting than anyone else. She was very impressionable, very naive in a sense.

"We'll find them, Nina," Zander murmured. "They'll be fine."

Zander was the eldest of the children, looming over his brother and sister 6'1". He was known for being even more quiet than Nina, but only because he wasn't very social. Zander felt as though he didn't have a lot in common when it came to other people.

"Where'd Rio go?" Hailey asked, looking at Xavier. "Is he okay?"

Xavier sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "He's probably still mad at me," he grumbled. "He doesn't like the idea of me going off and leaving him. He thinks living here is the safer, better option."

"Not everyone will agree with what we want to do," Mandi said, putting a comforting hand on Xavier's shoulder. "We know what's best for _us_. Right?"

Murmured agreements arose from the small group. Hailey, though, watched curiously. It seemed as though they had been planning on the escape for quite some time.

"What motivated you guys to want to leave?" she asked.

"There's nothing for us here anymore," Wren replied. "The soldiers aren't doing their fair share in helping us, and tensions are going to keep rising until something terrible happens."

"We don't want to be here when it does," Josiah added.

"There's more to the world than what's in here," Mandi responded. "We can't sit around and hope for the best. We've got to go out and make a life for ourselves."

Nodding, Hailey brushed some of her hair behind her ear. It was an interesting concept, what Mandi and the others were explaining. They had a point, and it was one Hailey had no problems agreeing with. In some ways, it was a bit similar to what Alessandra had mentioned. Maybe not in such an inappropriate way of explaining it, though.

"Having you come with us would be a big help," Mandi went on. "The more people we have with us, the better."

"It feels weird, doing something like this," Hailey expressed. "I thought the zones would keep us safe."

"They did in the beginning," Zander murmured. "Now, it's just time to go."

 **...**

Alessandra knew it was a difficult decision to make, but she knew it was for the greater good. In her opinion, the idea of leaving the safe zone, or leaving _her_ for that matter, was illogical and immature. Alessandra liked to think of herself as a reasonable and responsible person. She knew when to be real with someone and when to call them out on their bullshit. Hailey's bullshit happened to be the one that needed calling out. When the world falls apart and someone feels the need to be hopelessly optimistic — it was frustrating, at best.

Whatever reasoning Hailey had, though, for wanting to leave was a mystery. But she knew the kind of people who'd get her to stay _and_ talk.

 **...**

It was close to half an hour in Xavier's home when there was a firm knock on the front door. It was seen as odd, considering anyone who wasn't a soldier would just walk right in. That's when it seemed to dawn on them. _Soldiers_ were the only ones who knocked. If they were at Xavier's home, then that could only mean a multitude of things. Interrogation, extraction, execution, or payments.

Oh God.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **Sorry for the wait on this chapter. I've been super busy lately, so this had to be pushed off. Hopefully you guys understand. Give some constructive criticism where you think it's due.**

 **Nothing in TWD belongs to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the exhaustion I'm currently feeling. If you've got ideas for OCs or subplots, be sure to PM me or leave a review. I'll add them in as soon as possible, okay?**

 **If you've got any random facts you'd like to leave, be sure to leave it in the review section. I'd like to think I'm a curious person.* It can be on something new or something old, it doesn't matter to me.**

 **Blessed be,**

 **Florida Mayers**


	3. Chapter 3

_I am a New York woman born to rock you down_  
 _So want my lipstick all over your face_  
 _(Something), something, something about just knowing when it's right_  
 _So put your dreams up for Nebraska_  
 _For Nebraska, Nebraska, I love you_

-Yoü and I; **from Lady Gaga**

* * *

The group was frozen in spot, unsure on how to continue. The firm knocking happened again, this time with a voice accompanying it. It _was_ the soldiers; they were demanding to be let in, threatening force if their demands weren't met. Hailey looked at the others with wide, terrified eyes. She had no idea what to do, but she could tell they were just as confused and baffled as she was.

 _Who could've told the soldiers?_ she thought. _How could they have known what was going on?_

Swallowing thickly, Hailey, as quietly as possible, went over to where her backpack was and picked it up. She wanted to make sure she had her things with her in case a run had to ensue. Looking at Mandi and the others, Hailey motioned for them to get their belongings. They had to be as quick and quiet as possible, not wanting to draw anymore attention to themselves.

"Grab weapons," Hailey whispered, waving her hands around the kitchen.

Xavier looked particularly mortified at the statement, his eyes wide and his mouth agape. The others looked equally as bothered by it, too. What kinds of weapons could they use against trained soldiers? Xavier's kitchen had knives, the men outside had guns. Any fighting would be over before it even began.

Once everyone had their backpacks on, but before they had a chance to arm themselves, Rio stormed into the kitchen. He looked livid, his mouth set and his eyes blazing.

"What the _hell_ is going on?" he snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. Everyone motioned for him to be quiet, but he wasn't listening. Growling in frustration, Rio went to the front door and opened it. In a matter of seconds, Mandi and her group were running out the backdoor. They could hear Rio giving out shouts of confusion and disbelief, but they could also hear the soldiers running throughout the house before discovering the exit.

Mandi and the others knew they weren't going to be able to outrun a bunch of soldiers, but they were hopeful the head start would give them an advantage. They couldn't afford to get captured.

"Where's the hole?" Josiah exclaimed, trying his best to keep up with everyone.

"This way!" Hailey cried, doing her best to take the lead. She was practically sprinting to get ahead.

 _God, I should've exercised more,_ she thought bitterly. Despite certain factors of her family life from before, Hailey wasn't particularly an active person before things went bad. Her father had been a marine, who taught all his children the importance of self-defense and exercise. Hailey seemed to be the only child who didn't take it seriously.

The small group could hear the footfalls of the soldiers behind them, and the cocking of guns being pointed in their direction. Hailey understood that in a split second, the soldiers would open fire. That was _definitely_ a problem.

"Split up!" Hailey cried. "Go!" She waved at the others to go off in different directions, but she prayed they'd be able to meet her at the hole near the back of the gates. There were some brief protests before the first gunshot went off. It barely missed Josiah, and that was when everyone took the hint to split up.

 **...**

Hailey chose to veer off sharply to the right. She had watched everyone else go in different directions, and a feeling of relief washed over her. She couldn't have been happier that they chose to listen. The only other problem Hailey faced were the other inhabitants. They _all_ chose to come out and see the commotion. Seeing the soldiers chasing after a group of backpacked people must've been a horrifying sight, but also somewhat exhilarating. When was the last time anyone got any kind of action like that?

Skidding behind a large bush, Hailey knelt down and hoped that any soldiers who followed her kept going. It'd be nice if they did.

Hoping to control her breathing, Hailey put her hands over her mouth as she cowered in the bush. She wanted to move as little as possible, not wanting to draw too much attention to herself. If she could remain invisible in her hiding spot, then she'd be able to get out safely.

 _What about the others?_ Hailey thought. _They don't know where the hole is. How will they know to escape?_

Swallowing thickly, she lowered her hands from her mouth. Would it be better to wait by or outside the hole, at least until someone showed up? Would that be in everyone's best interest? Hailey had to keep in mind that she couldn't draw too much attention to herself. If she did, then she'd be putting herself in more of a risk.

 **...**

The soldiers crept around the community, their guns cocked and their eyes alert. There was a strong sense of frustration in losing the group, but they would show up eventually. It couldn't be _that_ hard to find a small handful of people. Besides, the soldiers were trained army men, they knew how to track enemies down.

They knew how to make a statement.

 **...**

Hailey could hear murmurs, occasional footfalls going by the bush before disappearing. It was scary, not knowing whether those people walking by were the soldiers. How much longer could she stay hidden before needing to leave? Mandi and the others were still out there, and it was only a matter of time before they managed to escape.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she peered her head over the bush, hoping to get a view on what was going on. The bush itself was relatively thick, so Hailey knew it'd take a lot of effort to get a good look beyond the branches and leaves. She couldn't get a good look, but from what she _could_ tell, the soldiers weren't anywhere nearby. That was the important thing, right? So, taking a deep breath, Hailey slowly stood up from her hiding spot, looking around quickly. She didn't see any soldiers, but she did see a lot of civilians. They looked concerned, if not a little confused. Hailey could understand why. Things got out of hand relatively quickly.

Once she was at full height, she carefully stepped away from the bush and out onto the sidewalk. When she was in full view of everyone else, that was when Hailey started to get a little more anxious. They were looking at her, and it was only a matter of time before one of them — or all of them — went to find the soldiers.

"You're the one the soldiers are looking for." A young woman looked at Hailey with wide eyes, her body trembling a little. There was a brief pause as the two women looked at each other. They were both wide eyed, both breathing heavily. Neither knew what the other was planning, and it made everything seem unbearably overwhelming.

"Please don't get them," Hailey said quietly. "Please. I'm not going to do anything to you or anyone else. I just want to go."

The woman looked at Hailey for a moment longer, swallowing thickly as she pondered over the words. "Why would you want to leave?" she asked.

"Nothing good is coming out of this place," Hailey exclaimed. "How much longer are we going to last before things go completely haywire? The soldiers aren't helping us, not without _us_ making big sacrifices for _them_."

"Things can change."

Shaking her head, Hailey sighed. "I thought that way, too," she replied. "Part of me still thinks that way. But it's time we start taking care of _ourselves_ , and not rely on a bunch of power hungry bastards."

Hearing those words come out of her mouth was surprising, but it felt right. Those words were the truth, and it felt amazing to have them come out. That had to be Hailey's first step in her change — acknowledging, and _accepting_ , everything that's wrong. She felt lighter.*

The woman stared Hailey down, as if she couldn't quite understand the claims that had been made. In that moment, a realization was made — time was being wasted. Hailey couldn't stand around and hope this person would come to some miraculous understanding. It wasn't going to happen. So she threw her arms up in surrender before turning and running away. All she had to do was find the hole in the gate and she'd be home free.

 **...**

Mandi was having trouble. She still had the soldiers on her trail, and for some reason they weren't shooting at her. It was confusing, and a bit concerning, but she had to do something to get them off her. Mandi knew that, if they ever caught her, she'd be in big trouble.

Getting through the whole ordeal safely — _alive_ — was her main goal. After that, it was finding Hailey and the others.

 **...**

Hailey was able to sneak and maneuver her way through the community unseen. It was a miracle on her part, considering she was convinced soldiers would pop out at any given moment and kill her. When she found the hole in the gate, she never felt so much overwhelming comfort in her life. It was almost like a weight had been lifted off of her the second she spotted it.

The hole itself was located at the back left corner of the community. It wasn't _too_ big, but there was probably enough room for people to fit through. Given Hailey's shorter stature, she'd be able to get in and out without a lot of difficulty. That was a miracle in and of itself.

Peering over her shoulders, Hailey wanted to make sure she wasn't being followed. She couldn't afford to have her cover blown when she was so close to escaping.

 _God help me through this,_ she silently prayed. Having the strength to be able to pull off such a big task was something Hailey never thought she'd be able to do. But she _did_ find enough courage to do it.

Quickly making her way up to the hole, Hailey shrugged off her backpack and shoved it through the hole. The crossing wires scraped against her skin, agitating it. When her backpack thudded onto the ground, she let out a comforting breath and worked her way through the hole.* Her hair and clothes were snagged, and it took a lot of effort for Hailey to work herself out. But she did. And the freedom she felt once she made herself out was beyond words. The trees surrounding the gates were thick enough to keep her concealed for a little while. All Hailey had to do was wait for a bit, to hopefully see Mandi and the others show up safe and sound.

That was the only thing Hailey wanted.

* * *

 **(A/N):**

 **First off, sorry for the wait. I know this chapter isn't necessarily the best, but I'd like some feedback anyway. So whatever constructive criticism you guys have would be greatly appreciated.**

 **Nothing in TWD belonged to me. All I own are my OCs, my subplots, and the bamboo plants in my room. If you've got ideas for subplots or OCs, be sure to PM me or leave a review and I'll add them in as soon as I can.**

 **Be sure to leave a random fact in the review section. It could be on something you've known for a while or on something you've recently learned. It's completely up to you guys!**

 **Thanks a bunch, you guys.**

 **Florida Mayers**


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